Programmable Liquid-Crystal-on-Silicon Photonic Integrated Circuits with Millions of Degrees of Freedom

Abstract

This thesis proposes a novel approach to photonics, wherein waveguides are formed entirely within a homogeneous liquid crystal layer using Liquid-Crystal-on-Silicon (LCoS) technology. Utilizing the electro-optical properties of LCs, we demonstrate the theoretical feasibility of inducing refractive index variations solely within the LC medium to guide light. This method diverges from traditional waveguiding techniques that rely on solid core and cladding structures, offering a new paradigm in reconfigurable photonic devices. Additionally, we develop and explore the idea of a programmable Multi-Mode Interferometer using LCoS technology, enabling the performance of arbitrary unitary transformations. Future work will focus on developing robust simulations of coupled-mode theory with liquid crystals, paving the way for next-generation photonic technologies that perform universal linear optics.